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Let’s talk binos

JArender said:
you won't regret it but for deer they really aren't needed. If you are glassing all day on a mountain hunt high quality really does help with eye strain. I have a pair of leica 10x42 ultravid hd and prior to that used ziess on the mtn I can tell. on the deer stand I can't. I used a set of vortex fury last year on bean fields and they were really good for that and i'm considering buying a pair even for bow hunting.
My travel hunting buddy has swaro el range whatever's. and another has swaro slc (I think). There is a difference between the swaro and leicas I own but it's in color I like the color I see through the leicas.

But I will also say this. On my first mtn hunt I battled my glass. I came home and sold them paid 1200 in 2004 bruntons they sucked. Then bought the ziess, then bought something else, then bought the leicas. Buy once cry once is a lesson I have a hard time learning but it's something of value!
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I originally bought mine for hunting out west. However my 67 year old eyes aren't near as good as my 52 yr old one's were & I really appreciate having the good binos now to deer hunt with.
 
Check out Meopta. Euro glass that's more affordable than Swaro.
 
I've used vortex. good glass for the $$$; not even in the same league as the swaros
I've used steiners. again good for the money, a little heavier than they should be; not nearly as good as swaros
I own a pair of Zeiss victory 8x56's. Excellent glass, you can absolutely see deer at night with a half moon overhead... but WAY too heavy to be practical
I've used zeiss conquest. again, good for the money, not nearly as good as even the cheaper swaro SLC's.
I've used Leica... CLOSE to the swaros, but I'd still give swaros the nod.

Most places I hunt I am nearly constantly looking through binoculars. I've found less fatigue, less eye strain since I bought the swaros. If you are hunting where shots are limited to 100 yards, there is probably no need for them.

A caveat... all the above binoculars I used 10-20 years ago. The other companies may be catching up to my 15 yr old swaros. But swaro has also made advancements with their newer lens coatings.
 
My first higher end binos were a pair of Steiner Predator 10x42 bought off ebay about 25 years ago. They were carried everywhere for 4-5 years and were great. Then I ran across a pair of hardly used Swarovski SLC 10x42 on craigslist for $750. I gave the guy $650 and have not wanted anything else. The most important feature to me is eye strain. With Swaros, there is none.
The Steiners became my truck binos.
In my opinion, nothing can beat Swarovski binoculars!
 
Mb423 said:
Out of curiosity, how are yours compared to some $300 vortex binos?

I constantly glass while hunting and love my vortex diamondback binos I got on black Friday a few years ago.

I have only looked through s Zeiss spotting scope while some Elk over a mile out so I can't really compare to my 500 yard max views here in TN.
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I've never been around any vortex.
 
I've got a pair of Vortex Viper HD 10x42'S and have used them side by side with a buddy who has a pair of Swaro's, I never looked at the model, in both the whitetail woods and out west. The Swaro's win, hands down. They are simply some of the crispest glass I've ever looked through. I'll end up with a pair in the near future and the Vipers will become my beater glasses for keeping in the car.
 
megalomaniac said:
Buy used swaros........
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This......if you want to buy once, cry once. You can get some solid ELs for $1300-1700, use them as long as you like, and sell them for the same price you paid for them. You can get some solid SLCs for a tad cheaper. I find myself looking at used high end optics quite often, what are you looking for? 8x42? 10x42? I'll keep my eyes peeled for you.
 
It's been my experience with glass that every time you double the price you get a 20% increase in quality. This holds true for binocs, rangefinders, spotting scopes and riflescopes. All you have to decide is where on the scale of quality you want to be.
 
I finally upgraded binos last season to some Vortex Razors. While they are not the top of the line, it's made a significant difference for me! If I can win this fantasy league again......I'll be getting some swarvoskis.
 
Leica ultravid hd 10 x 32 are what I have. Love them. Almost as important as the gun, bow, etc I am hunting with.
 
Team Yuma said:
I finally upgraded binos last season to some Vortex Razors. While they are not the top of the line, it's made a significant difference for me! If I can win this fantasy league again......I'll be getting some swarvoskis.
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Those would be my pick for best value per dollar. Very solid glass for the $$$. But still don't hold a candle to the Swarovski ELs
 

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